Cold Pursuit - Carla Neggers [69]
For eighteen, Devin had keen insight into people. “So Nora’s afraid that Melanie’s using her father?”
“Yeah.”
Elijah eyed him skeptically. “It’s more than that, isn’t it?”
Devin squirmed, uncomfortable with the question.
“Devin?”
He glanced at Elijah. “I’m not some enemy combatant you pulled out of a cave.” But he slumped immediately after the words were out. “Sorry. That was a real jackass thing to say.”
Elijah didn’t respond.
“You’ve been on my case since you got back here. I’m sorry about your father. As sorry as anyone. I know you feel guilty because you were hardly ever around, but I saw him all the time.” Tears spilled down his cheeks, but he brushed them angrily with the back of one hand. “Think I wanted to find him frozen up on the mountain like a dead porcupine? Think that made me feel good? He treated me like his own son.”
“It must have been rough.” Elijah didn’t react openly to Devin’s emotion. “I’m sorry for that. I wish it had been me in your place.”
“Yeah. I know. Sorry, too.” He sniffled, more under control. “Getting shot—it was bad?”
“Not great.”
“Makes sliding under a stupid boulder seem like nothing.” He gritted his teeth and leaned forward, pulling up his muddy pant leg. “My ankle’s seizing up. I need some ice—”
“I’ll get some from the lodge,” Elijah said. “Don’t move. When I get back, I want to hear everything that you and Nora are up to. Start to finish. Understood?”
“Okay. I’ll stay put. Just get me the ice. You and Jo Harper—hell, Elijah.” Devin gave a weak laugh. “The military and the law on my case. But I’ll tell you everything.”
Elijah stopped at the door. “Including why you were on the north side of the mountain in April.”
Devin looked away and sank deeper into his pillow. “I miss your dad,” he said quietly.
“I do, too, kid.”
Elijah left, barely aware of the cold as he went up the walk. He climbed onto the terrace and slipped into the dining room. No one was around. He ducked back to the kitchen and helped himself to ice from the freezer and a couple of dish towels from the sink. A.J. had fancy ice packs somewhere, but Elijah was satisfied with ice cubes and towels.
He headed back outside. The wind had picked up. He thought of Jo up on the mountain by herself. They were violating basic hiking protocols, but at least it kept them occupied. He didn’t think he could stand just kissing her again. It would lead to something else, and that was probably dumber than hiking in the cold alone.
It would be best if Nora decided one night in the wilderness was enough, but Elijah didn’t think that would happen.
A.J. intercepted him halfway back to the shop. “You wanted to talk, Elijah? What’s up? I got your message.”
Elijah frowned. “What message?”
“Didn’t you call? The front-desk clerk said you did, and I should find you. I was tied up with the kids, or I’d have gotten out here sooner.”
Hell.
Elijah ran back to the shop and took the stairs three at a time, but he was too late. Devin was gone. So was his multi-day pack.
He charged back outside. A.J. gave him a tense look. Elijah sighed, calming himself. “We need to talk,” he said, and gave his brother the rundown of what had happened up at the falls.
“If Devin’s injured—”
“He’s not so injured he couldn’t sneak off.” Elijah felt his thigh tingle and blamed the scar tissue from the bullet he took in April. He breathed, willing his muscles to relax. “He probably ducked into the woods. I can try to find him, but he’s a kid, A.J. I’m not going to hunt him down.”
“Here comes the law,” A.J. said, nodding up toward the road. Jo was walking toward the lodge at a brisk pace with Kyle Rigby right behind her.
Devin could have spotted them from the window in his room and decided to bolt. Had he run into Rigby on the mountain? Or was he just seizing the moment and never meant to talk? Either way, Elijah didn’t like the situation.
A.J. sighed. “I can’t help it,” he said. “I guess it’s because I haven’t been around her all that much lately, but it’s still